During my time at home, mom let me in on her secret salty caramel recipe. Tied up with a vintage spoon and a red ribbon this would make the best Valentine’s Day gift for a friend or loved one, because who doesn’t love eating caramel straight out of the jar with a spoon?!?! The process can be a little temperamental, so having all of…
My Travel Essentials
People often tease me, asking if I actually work. I’ll admit I like my vacations and take full advantage of every generous vacation day my company provides, isn’t that the point?? I joke that I keep my passport in my purse, ready at a moments’ notice to jet-set on a new adventure. Via My frequent travel has lead me to rely on a few essential…
Wine Wednesdays – Bellori Joven 2013 Verdejo
This week, I’m sharing a wine I enjoyed with dinner at Avec in Chicago. The 2013 Bellori Joven 2013 Verdejo was true to it’s name; “joven” translates to “young” in Spanish. Light and refreshing, this young wine is easy to sip now but should develop even more over the next couple of years. The nose was full of fresh cut grass and green apple, with…
Wine Wednesdays – Covenant 2009 Lavan Chardonnay
This week, something a little different than the typical Chardonnay. Covenant Wines is a certified Kosher winery based in Berkley, CA. They source fruit from several well-known Napa Valley Vintners including Rudd Vineyards (Leslie Rudd is part owner of Covenant). We recently tried the 2009 Lavan Chardonnay while dining at Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen in St. Helena. Kosher or not, this wine was delicious! “Lavan”…
Wine Wednesdays – Banshee Wines
Last year my mom surprised me with an overnight getaway to Healdsburg for a New Years staycation. While we were there I tweeted out to the inter-webs looking for suggestions on where to go wine-tasting. One response was Banshee Wines right in the center of town. While we didn’t make it to taste that time, I’ve had it on my list ever since. Fortunately this…
The BEST Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
These little loafs made an appearance on Christmas morning. It’s funny, 5 years ago if you had told my future self that I’d enjoy banana anything, let alone banana bread I would have laughed in your face. Growing up my Mom and Brother couldn’t get enough of this combo, my mom perfected a chocolate-chip banana bread recipe over the years; once finally convinced to try…
Wine Wednesdays – T-Vine Cellars 2012 Grenache
I recently enjoyed this 2012 Grenache from T-Vine cellars. I visited T-Vine back in 2013 so I was excited to try their wines again! The Grenache did not disappoint! This varietal is right up my alley, combining the fresh red fruit of a Pinot Noir with the lusciousness of a Cab. Fine tannins and a hint of vanilla on the finish make this an easy…
Christmas Vacation Recap
The way the holidays fell this year I managed to go home for two full weeks! While it always goes too fast and is never enough time, I got in some serious shopping (grocery)/cooking/eating/drinking (and cleaning) and lots of quality time with family and friends. For New Years we headed down to Puerto Vallarta for some fun in the sun, the perfect way to end…
Wine Wednesdays – Wine Tasting With My Favs
Happy January. It snowed yesterday; what a way to welcome me back NYC! I guess I’ll have to console myself by reliving the amazing 2 week holiday vacation. Working on a full recap, but for today’s Wine Wednesday I wanted to share a day of wine tasting. I met up with some friends from high school to relive our youth and explore all that the…
Happy New Year!
Sorry for the radio silence, I’ve been enjoying every minute of time at home with family and friends. I’m currently heading to Mexico to ring in the New Year on a lounge chair with a drink in hand. Wishing everyone a safe, happy, and healthy New Year. So many more good wines and good times to come in 2015!